Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) (21 page)

"How is it?"

"I think I like poi better." Marcail phrased it as delicately as possible, by referring to one of the native Hawaiian dishes she'd grown up on. The result however, was the same-supper tasted awful.

The rice was no longer in tiny individual grains but had congealed into one slimy, tasteless mass. The potatoes were hard as rocks and ice cold. It actually hurt Marcail's teeth to bite into a biscuit. Kaitlin watched her nibble on the edge of one.

Kaitlin didn't know what was the matter with her. She cooked fairly well, although always with her mother. Maybe tonight she was just a bit panicked. Her mother had handled so much of the meal preparation, giving her and Marcail the job of preparing the fish, which they had practically lived on. Kaitlin could serve fish every night for a week and never fix it the same way twice.

"Oh, well," was all she said as she reached for her coffee, remembering as she did, that her mother had always prepared that too. She guessed she'd had worse.

That night both girls slept soundly in their warm bed. In fact, they were almost late for school in the morning.

"Is it almost ready Katie? We're going to be late."

'Almost." Kate was trying her hand at a big pot of cereal like the one Rigg had made them. She decided she must have added too much water because the stuff refused to thicken.

"What will we eat for lunch, Katie?"

"Oh, no!" Kate spun from the stove in dismay. "I completely forgot that I have to pack us a lunch. Look at the cans on the shelves Marcail. See if anything looks good."

Kate had not taken time to make bread and the cheese at Rigg's store had been too costly. If it had been a weekend, Kate would have tried for a regular meal.

She saw Marcail putting things into an old flour sack as she dished cereal into the bowls. The cereal had done a complete turnabout in the pot, going from watery to something so thick it would not come off the spoon.

Watching Marcail grimace over the taste, Kate spread some sugar on the cereal. After so little to eat last night, they couldn't possibly go until lunch with nothing in their stomachs.

"Do you have the lunch?" Kate asked, as she slipped into her sweater.

'All set."

They headed out the door and Kaitlin gave a prayer of thanks that Rigg was taking care of Sean. He'd surely waste away on her cooking.

"That was fine reading, Thomas. You may take your seat. We'll break for lunch now and afterward go for that walk Ipromised you."

As the students dispersed, Marcail came forward and sat on the front bench. Katie pulled their lunch sack out from under her desk and joined her. The first thing she pulled out was a package of yeast cakes.

"Marc, don't you know what these are?"

"Little cakes."

"Yeast cakes. They're used for baking."

"Oh. Sorry."

"That's all right we won't starve." Next came a can of molasses.

"I didn't know what that was either, but the man on the front looked so happy I figured it must taste pretty good." Kaitlin dissolved into helpless laughter while she tried to explain what was in the can. The last item in the bag was a huge package of raisins. Kate didn't even say grace before she began to tear it open.

Marcail's little hand shook as she raised a fistful to her mouth. They ate in silence until Kate laughed again about the molasses and choked on her raisins. Every so often she would go to the door or window and check on the children, but most were eating with no time for mischief.

Sean wandered in when he'd had his fill of what was in his lunch tin and asked the girls if either one of them wanted his last piece of fried chicken. Kate found herself grabbing for his tin like a woman starved, and then remembered that some of her class were eating at their desks.

"You eat it Marc." Kaitlin stood then and took a big drink from the dipper at the water bucket. When she sat on the bench again Marcail was waiting for her. She hadn't touched the chicken.

"We'll share this."

"Thanks Marc," Kate said gratefully, and had to stop herself from swallowing before chewing.

"Rigg told me you bought a lot of supplies. Why are you so hungry?" Sean had stayed close due to the strange behavior of his sisters.

"We do have food, I'm just not used to cooking and packing a lunch. We'll be fine." Kate laughed again when she thought of the molasses and Marcail had to explain. Sean did his own share of chuckling before reaching over to mess his sister's hair.

Offended by his rough treatment, Marcail would have started a -wrestling match if Kaitlin hadn't stopped them.

The afternoon found the entire school on a walk. The older children had been put into specific charge over the younger and they ventured forth in small groups to find items that were on their spelling list.

When one was spotted, the find was reported to Miss Donovan and she marked it off the list. Nearly everyone found at least one item and the outing must have been a huge success since the children begged to make it a weekly trip. Kate, in her soft voice, restored order and said that she would consider it.

After school, the moment Kaitlin hit the door, she began supper preparations. She was a woman with a mission and in less time than she expected her efforts paid off. There was no butter for the biscuits or meat for the beans and rice but it was all pretty tasty and she and Marcail were able to eat their fill. Feeling proud of herself, she packaged up the leftovers for lunch the following day.

That night was prayer meeting and even though Kate did not feel up to the walk, she and Marcail started out in time to be there. Rigg, who told her she should have waited for a ride, brought her home. She told him in all honesty that it hadn't occurred to her and realized she hadn't thought of Sean all afternoon.

With her head so fuzzy, she figured the best place for her was bed. As usual she slept soundly. Breakfast was another fiasco and this time it did make them late to school.

"I'm sorry I'm late this morning, class. I'll certainly make an effort not to let it happen again. I want to thank you for all being in your seats. I'm proud of the way-" Kate stopped talking in mid-sentence because Joey Parker had come in late and put an apple on her desk, causing her to look at her desk for the first time that morning.

Her actions in front of a few of her students yesterday at lunch came sharply to mind as she stared at the array of food covering her desk top. Cans and boxes of food, baskets with napkins hiding treats within, two casserole dishes and a few fresh fruits. Tears filled her eyes at the tender hearts of her students. She took a moment to get herself under control.

"If I could choose any class, anywhere in the world to teach, I would pick this schoolhouse with you. Please accept my thanks and also pass it on to your parents for their generosity."

The faces of the children before her told Kaitlin she'd said the right thing. Smiling, her gaze encompassed the room.

"Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Miss Donovan."

Another school day had begun.

thirty-two

It was mid-morning and Rigg sat at his desk, fidgeting with the sack of dry goods he had not yet delivered to Kaitlin. He was concentrating on the conversation he'd had with Sean over breakfast.

"I sort of wish Kate and Marc had stayed at your folks'."

?" "WhY•

"I'm just afraid that they'll starve to death. I mean, Kate is a great teacher but she's never had to do everything before. Marc is trying to help, but when she packed the lunch yesterday, she took molasses, yeast cakes and raisins."

"So all your sisters had for lunch yesterday was raisins?"

"I had an extra piece of chicken that I shared with them." Rigg noted that Sean looked very guilty. Rigg tried to choose words to help ease that guilt.

"Kaitlin could ask for help."

"She probably never even considered it. She thinks of it as a challenge that she's never met before and thinks she should jump in and do it."

"Why don't you ask them to supper here tonight? I'm not a gourmet, but I can ask Kate if she needs me to show her anything." The conversation ended then as both men went their separate ways.

Now Rigg sat at his desk, his face almost brooding, praying about a way to help Kate without overstepping himself.

"I'm in love with a woman who can't cook." Rigg spoke softly even as a smile came over his face. He froze when he heard steps behind him.

"It's not like you to talk to yourself Rigg," Jeff said quietly. "Want me to leave?"

"No, come on in." Rigg watched as his brother folded his long frame into a chair. He dwelt briefly on the fact that the young ladies at church were very attracted to Jeffrey Taylor but he never responded in kind. It looked for a time as though Jeff might be headed for trouble where girls were concerned, but something had happened when Jeff was still a teen that seemingly changed him forever.

Rigg knew his younger brother to be as desirous of a wife as he was and wondered how Jeff was feeling about what he'd just overheard. He decided to ask him.

"I think the word infatuation fits a little better than love does, Rigg."

"You think it's too soon for me to be in love then?"

The younger man shifted uncomfortably over the vulnerable look on his brother's face. He, quite frankly, thought the world of his older brother and it was hard to see him unhappy. And then there was Kaitlin. It was not at all hard to see why Rigg believed himself to be in love.

"You started working in this store Rigg, when you were only 14. And then Uncle Leo turned the whole thing over to you at 19. You haven't had any time to date girls or even spend much time with them and now Kaitlin Donovan comes into town and knocks you right off your feet. Naturally you assume it's love. Maybe it is, I don't know."

Jeff felt that he'd said enough and watched Rigg's face carefully to see if he'd upset him. When Rigg finally spoke, Jeff wished he had made him angry. Rigg was more upset than he was letting on and Jeff didn't want anything unresolved between them.

"Well, I doubt if you came by to discuss my love life. What did you need?"

"Rigg?" Jeff's voice was pained.

"No, Jeff it's all right. I do feel like I'm in love. But Kaitlin isn't ready for anything like that, and having to explore these feelings on my own is a hurting thing."

'And I just made it worse by saying you're not even in love."

"It's all right, Jeff." Rigg suddenly smiled. "I'll just make you eat those words at the wedding." Jeff laughed. This was the Rigg he knew; confident and purposeful.

"Rigg wants you to come for supper," Sean told his sisters.

"What about all this food?"

"I'll help you take everything home. By the way, Kate, I was telling Rigg that you can't cook so if you need help with anything, you can ask him tonight."

"Sean Donovan! How dare you say I can't cook!"

"Well, Kate!" The young man was equally indignant. "You told me yourself what a mess supper was. And don't forget I stood and watched you and Marc swallowing raisins yesterday without even stopping to chew."

The anger drained out of Kate and she began to giggle. Sean shook his head in mock despair. Neither one noticed that Marcail was very quiet.